The battle for the Labor leadership has intensified with Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard stepping up their attacks on each other.

Ms Gillard has "lost the trust of the Australian people", according to Kevin Rudd, who finally confirmed this afternoon that he would be a contender.

"Rightly or wrongly, Julia has lost the trust of the Australian people," he said.

"Starting on Monday I want to start restoring that trust.

"I want to finish the job the Australian people elected me to do when I was elected by them to become prime minister."

The former leader, who was ousted by Ms Gillard 18 months ago, cited her actions then and since as contributing to a lack of confidence in her.

I want to finish the job the Australian people want me to do after I was elected by them as prime minister.

Kevin Rudd

"Questions of trust arose at the time of the coup in June of 2010, questions of trust arose on other policy commitments that were made prior to the last election, and other questions of trust have arisen since then," he said.

"In politics trust is everything, and I think that is underpinning fundamentally our political and policy challenges today."

But the Prime Minister also questioned whether Mr Rudd could be trusted, raising allegations that he held private meetings with journalists to criticise the Government and outline his comeback plans.

"Kevin Rudd spoke about trust today but did not deny when challenged that he has spent time when I was Prime Minister and he has been Foreign Minister behind closed doors in secret conversations with people undermining the Government," she said.

"Kevin Rudd asked people to consider questions of trust, well there's a question of trust right there.

But Mr Rudd, who once registered some of the highest ever personal approval ratings, said the party would lose the next election under Ms Gillard.

He said he was acting to save Australia from the "ravages" of a Coalition government led by Mr Abbott.

"If we're honest to ourselves, all indications are that we're heading for the rocks at the next election," he said.

"If things don't change on Monday, I'm convinced that will be a certainty.

"That's the cold, hard, stark reality that we all face."

Saying "things have to change", Mr Rudd admitted he made mistakes during his tenure as prime minister, including taking sole responsibility for shaping the Cabinet.

"On reflection, I think that might have been the wrong call because it did add to a sense of powerlessness on the part of various members of the parliamentary party."

But in what Ms Gillard described as an "essential contradiction", he continued to attack the factional power of the ALP and the so-called "faceless men".

He said they would make Monday's ballot a particularly "tough contest".

"Really tough when you're up against the combined forces of the combined factions of the Labor Party, and theirs can be a pretty ruthless operation," he said.

Australians can have trust in me that I am the person who gets things done.

Julia Gillard

Ms Gillard says she expects to win Monday's ballot and has been reassured by her colleagues that she has the numbers.

She said in 2010 Mr Rudd could not run a government with "purpose and discipline", adding that she has "proved" that she is the one to pass big reforms like putting a price on carbon despite the political cost.

"These are hard reforms, and when you engage in hard reforms that are about big things, that are about the future, there is a political cost," she said.

"Australians can have confidence in me that no matter how hard it gets, I've got the determination and personal fortitude to see things through; Australians can have trust in me that I am the person who gets things done."

If defeated, Mr Rudd would match Ms Gillard's commitment to not launch a second bid for the leadership. He also promised not to quit Parliament - a move that would trigger a risky by-election.

"I would go to the backbench and I would not challenge Julia a second time," he said.

"I would continue to work for my community as the federal Member for Griffith, a community that I deeply love."

Mr Rudd needs 52 votes in the 103-member caucus to win the ballot.

He said he did not know what how many votes he had so far, but his supporters in the Cabinet and the ALP were working on it.

Comments (161)

The Blue Smurf:

The Yank:

24 Feb 2012 3:56:44pm

The only person who is clearly fit to lead the labor party is Kevin Rudd. This is a democracy after all and what the majority of what people want, should go. Kevin never made nearly as many mistakes as Julia Gillard. I mean, just look at how much waste she brought on all of the party at the expense of the tax payer.

din:

24 Feb 2012 4:09:10pm

this is just normal politics.

who ever wins on monday (and its expected to be gillard by a wide margin) still had to win the election next year - and thats the important vote.

but i reckon Rudd is playing it well - resign when he found out that he would be sacked when he returns. He did make a mistake by not talking to gillard personally, but who knows if she was taking his calls.

then he lets gillar's party do the foaming at the mouth pieces (ala swan) while his supporters try to keep it calm.

He accepted gillard's challenge of going to the backbench, but gillard has yet to accept his challenge of demoting anyone who supported him - and we saw at the dec reshuffle that rudd supporters are easy targets.

and if rudd loses on monday, then gillard loses next year, rudd will be back with a baseball bat.

my money in still on gillard, but one day it will be the liberals turns -anyone poll how popular Abbott compared to Turnbill ?

The Yank:

24 Feb 2012 4:38:42pm

The Liberals have had a free run since the election loss purely because Labor has been their own worst enemy, first there was this crap with Craig Thompson, then followed by the stupid Australia Day beat up and now this. From memory, I can't remember any party having such a hard time selling their message to the voter. There has been too many distractions, that will overshadow their next election campaign. By then, no one will care that Australia remained bouyant through the previous global recession, when really no politician can claim responsibility for that.

Oh yes it will defintely be on when it is Liberal's turn. The only difference is that Tony Abbot has had very little to offer to federal politics, if he was to succeed over Malcolm Turnbull he would need to start bringing alternative policy to the table. Malcolm on the other hand has always had many positive views to offer on a range of issues with regard to the environment and telecommunications. I just hope that they can offer the stable government, that the current party has struggled to maintain in the eye of the media.

Ethel Gumnut:

24 Feb 2012 3:14:27pm

You'd better hope that this legislation not being passed due to infighting doesn't include supply bills. Last time they blocked supply (1975) many hundreds of defence service personnel were not paid for weeks, and lots of young families had no money to live on! Some were in between postings and were stuck living in caravans etc in very cold and dreary conditions. I'm sure many other government workers were similarly stranded.

geraldf:

Susan Hartigan:

24 Feb 2012 4:53:43pm

Not possible referendum in 1978 means no senate can ever block supply to essential government services that is all public service. Malcolm was not going to have what he did done to him he made sure. You need to educate yourself.

Clem:

24 Feb 2012 3:31:30pm

Parliament isn't passing any legislation because Parliament isn't sitting and is not scheduled to be sitting. ...Some people get themselves concerned based on their complete failure to grasp how parliament works....

As a general rule though, this government has been passing many more pieces of legislation during each session than the Howard govt ever did.

Anna Phylaxis:

24 Feb 2012 3:36:53pm

Parliament isn't passing legislation because it's not sitting at the moment. but it has passed an impressive amount, all the more so given the government's minority status and the opposition's inability to see where bipartisanship might be a good thing.

Peter:

24 Feb 2012 3:17:32pm

It doesn't matter if there was another candidate. Rudd has marginally contributed to labour's position, but Gillard has done plenty of damage on her own. She stuffed it up from the first week, announcing the solution for the boats without even talking to the country concerned. From there it has been on foot in the mess after the other, and all nothing to do with Rudd.

I'm a liberal supporter but do not like Abbott one bit; I also support the carbon tax and therefore prefer labour in power. Unfortunately, the fact is that labour is going to lose and lose big next year, regardless of what they do and who leads them from now on. They should have lost in 2010 but scraped through, but voters won't make the same mistake this time.

Lewis of The Hills:

alisterfish:

24 Feb 2012 2:57:51pm

If this battle finally kills off factionalism in the ALP and makes it a more transparent organisation, then that is a good outcome for Australia. If it doesnt, this ugly snake will rear its head again.

Marty:

Asian Aussie:

24 Feb 2012 3:56:28pm

It is not factions that are the problem. It is the meglomaniacs in the one controlling Gillard that have constantly made mistake after mistake just to keep themselves in control instead of doing the best for the country

Clem:

24 Feb 2012 3:51:09pm

Of course the Liberals have 'factions'.. Abbott got in by just one vote! Who can forget their election for party president - that made Labor look orderly in comparison and showed Abbott up as a factional double dealer.

Asian Aussie:

Fantastic point. The NSW Labor party spend years making more trouble then good for the state before being removed. Now they have moved into the federal arena and it has happened again.

The problem is the people beneath Gillard. Those who put her there and that is why she needs to be removed. It will remove many others as well. Lets hope an election is called because we then have a chance to get rid of the NSW factional bosses.

Basil Barber:

Pippen:

ian:

24 Feb 2012 3:03:19pm

While this whole proces has been messy - Rudd is the only chance labor has. If they keep Gillard labor has about as much chance of winning the election as does Greece of becoming the global economic powerhouse in the next 18 months.

The thought of Tony Abbott becoming the leader of this country should terrify everyone (thoughts of Sarah Palin come to mind as US president!!!!!) , I hope the coalition can do us all a favour, see sense and put Malcolm Turnbull back in as leader

Steve:

24 Feb 2012 3:27:05pm

Agreed. For all his faults and foibles, Kevin Rudd at least has a vision for Australia. And if he can break up this nonsensicl factionalism in the ALP then he will have done us all a favor. Crean, Swan et al have shown their cards - they are meglomaniacs consumed with self-importance even if it hands the government to Abbott. Kevin's first move should be to lay out the rules to them. Government for the people - not for th factions and faceless old men of the ALP. Julia? Well she isn't really important anyway, is she?

RomeoCharlie:

24 Feb 2012 4:18:49pm

I thought it was the *ALP* that had vision for Australia. Kevin Rudd doesn't sit at home and think all these wonderful things up, go to work, have a meeting, tell everyone all these wonderful ideas and then order his minion ministers to implement them, although that's what he'd love for you to believe. It's not a one-man show.

The *party* have ideas and vision and it's the job of the leader of that party to ensure they get implemented. This is something members of the ALP are now saying Rudd couldn't do very well. The ALP might get a new leader, but they'll still have the same vision and ideas.

The last days of Rudd as PM were a debacle, if I remember correctly, he was getting pummelled by the Mining industry over the mining tax, Gillard stepped in and ended the mess.

JohhnoH:

24 Feb 2012 4:04:30pm

Wait for what? There is a cancer in the Labor Party at the moment, it is called the NSW Right Wing. They destroyed state Labor in NSW and they're hell bent on destroying federal Labor as long as they can keep their little power clique in the party. get rid of the factions, that was what Beattie did in Queensland and he won election after election, since Beattie left, Ludwick and company haver reared their ugly heads and look what has happened.

Briano:

24 Feb 2012 3:05:15pm

It doesn't matter what the outcome is from this ballot, the country will still be run by a disfunctional rabble of self-serving union muppets and we will all suffer until we finally get our say at a Federal election - hopefully really, really soon.

GusD:

24 Feb 2012 3:32:55pm

I would rather have "union muppets" run the place rather than tax avoiding corporate muppets. Like the big miners making Obscene amounts of money and "oh yeah, lets get robots to drive our trains and trucks" it's a job creation scheme.

JoeConcerned:

Julia Gillard is not liked by the Labor voting electorate and swinging voters. She is however a "Nice Boss" and okay to work with. Labor might virtually be wiped out by her at the next election

Kevin Rudd has a proven track record in keeping Australia out of recession and made Australia the envy of the world. He is trusted by people and he swears like a lot of us do on occasion. He is Labor's best hope to keep doing the good work that they are doing after the next election.

The choice for MP's - Vote for someone who they like or vote for someone who is about results and can keep Labor in power and keep them in a job. We don't want a Tony Abbott Government, so please vote for Kevin Rudd

Confused:

24 Feb 2012 3:20:22pm

I hope so too. We must have an election right away before the Abbott's negative tactics could eventuate. Gillard given a fair go can beat Abbott provided it's in 2013 but if it will ensure Abbott demise then that's okay.

TSJ:

24 Feb 2012 3:42:32pm

JoeConcerned, I so agree with you... Kevin Rudd is a true leader -- a visionary, but also dedicated to policy reform -- and well regarded by the public at large. He is Labor's best chance at re-election, and at regaining the trust of the people of Australia. He may not be the 'messiah' but the party faithful will rejoice when he is ressurected.

Very Concerned:

24 Feb 2012 4:56:33pm

Rudd should go to the back bench and learn to control his anger and vengeful emotions if he wants to preserve any respect left for him within the labor movement and the Australian people. He believes he can change the world single handed. The guy is a maniac, overestimating his worth and abilities. Yes he implemented good policies while he was a PM, but that was a team effort, it was not all Kevin. The power went into his head. Democracy is rule by consensus. The best ideas and vision are nothing if you cannot bring the team with you, unless you are a benevolent dictator. I am very concerned that he will keep making mischief for the government.

Horrocks:

24 Feb 2012 5:00:45pm

a proven track record of spending money and wasting it, look at digital set top boxes, pink bat's, immigration "reforms" , BER, school laptops, my son's laptop is just so much junk that won't even connect to the internet by cable or wireless

madcabbie:

JohhnoH:

24 Feb 2012 4:08:51pm

I would expect Greg Cobet to be a good industrial relations minister and deputy PM under Rudd. The problem for Rudd iwould be finding a treasurer, but since there is no one on either side of the house who could do the job, the same problem awaits Abbott.

brian:

24 Feb 2012 4:40:57pm

At least Combet isn't the thimble of talent floating on a sea of ambition that Shorten is. Under Gillard an idiot like Garret survives, a self-promoter like Shorten thrives, and decent figures like Combet and Kim Carr barely survive.

Jan P:

24 Feb 2012 3:07:47pm

If it's not an episode of Big Brother (or Sister) why has Julia got her heavies out to publicly maul Rudd and threaten anyone who supports him? Talk about utter carnage. As leader she should be protecting her party's future by saying this is a contest between 2 excellent candidates.

brian:

24 Feb 2012 4:43:28pm

She should also be protecting her country's reputation by disciplining anyone who publicly criticizes a foreign minister on a diplomatic mission. To my mind, what Crean and Co indulged in last weekend was a finer variety of treason.

Politically Incorrect:

24 Feb 2012 3:09:50pm

I had high hopes for Gillard when she knifed Rudd, particuarly from her leftist background and lack of an imaginary friend. Suffice to say she has been a terrible dissapointment, she has been more Christian than Tony Abbott & more capitalist than Howard.

John Little:

24 Feb 2012 3:12:40pm

Maybe I missed something in 2007, but I didn't anything on my ballot paper for K Rudd Prime Minister. If K Rudd wishes to be elected by the people, perhaps he needs to get back on a plane and find a Presidential system to his liking.

Dan:

24 Feb 2012 3:24:17pm

Yeah but most people do not actually vote for their MP based on his or her personal policies. They vote for them because of the party they represent and subsequently the leader of that party. Whether you like it or not, most people still voted for him (even if indirectly).

RomeoCharlie:

24 Feb 2012 4:31:07pm

That's right, most people do vote for a Prime Minister. But Rudd know that's not how it works, yet he's happy to infer that it does. That's what makes this seem so silly, his belief that he is the rightful leader. He was elected by the members of the ALP caucus to be leader, which, when the ALP won the 2007 election, he became PM. In 2010, members of the caucus wanted Gillard to lead the ALP and so the leadership changed. This process was no different when Rudd was elected leader and ousted Beazley.

Frog in the dunny:

24 Feb 2012 3:15:27pm

He's right; I'm "absolutely horrified by this ugly spectacle". In Evatt's day we had battles of ideas. In Keating's day we had battles of wits. To our enduring loss, we now have faceless apparatchiks and media caricatures battling over poll results. I hold the whole Labor Party responsible (not that the other mob are any more diplomatic or loyal).

brian:

24 Feb 2012 4:54:39pm

I can't understand why we have been denied any articulate debate on big issues like asylum seekers, gay marriage and the like. Politicians don't argue for or against anything with the community anymore, they simply adopt positions, refuse to budge from them, and countenance any rational criticism with insults about one's political impracticality.

Boggs:

24 Feb 2012 3:16:23pm

And I thought Papua New Guinea politics was joke!Perhaps Michael Somare could throw his hat in the ring on this one too!I've been a die hard Labour voter for 40 years, 3 generations of True Believers.My Grandfather was blugeoned near to death by the police in Liverpool in the 20's when they charhged the strikers..My father served all his life as a Shop Steward.But this is the end of the line for me... Greens in future...no more Labour..

din:

Johnno:

24 Feb 2012 3:16:24pm

A strong campaigner, but it is clear from every answer he gave to the question, he has been backgrounding journalists against the Prime Minister since he lost his job. So many unsourced rumours have now been confirmed by him.

As he claimed, he is not responsible for every mistake made by Julia Gillard since she became Prime Minister, but he clearly is responsible for judicious leaking to constantly undermine her so that she was never able to argue policy.

La Signora:

24 Feb 2012 3:26:25pm

memo to Kevin Rudd: The Australian people did not elect you as Prime Minister - we elected an ALP Government and you were the leader of the ALP at that time. You are a pathetic narcissistic self obsessed thoroughly nasty piece of work. Go to the back bench and stay there.

Rodman:

24 Feb 2012 3:49:22pm

nope... if we wanted to elect an ALP Government we would have voted one in in 2001 and 2004.... it was Kevin 07 that was drove people to vote for the ALP in 2007... and the election that a bunch of back-stabbing caucus members rode his coat-tails into power on...

Donny:

Drunken Sailor:

24 Feb 2012 3:27:25pm

Good speech - got stuck into Julia by confirming the rumours she was behind the ETS shelving, but is it a lie if you only say once you will go to the backbench and not recontest if you lose when asked three or four times - mind you, Keating lied about that too so I guess thats OK.

Cait:

Mark:

24 Feb 2012 3:28:02pm

Julia Gillard and the cabinet need to listen to the people. Clearly the majority of Australians prefer Rudd over Gillard as an electible commodity. If he doesn't get up on Monday he will before the next election - just change now and get it over and done with. Australians can then vote at the election on the Prime Minister they voted in, not the one who sold her soul to the independents at any cost of policy.

If Gillard's the education guru why hasn't she commited to the Gonski report. Let's bring in significant change in education, Gillard or Rudd, who will stand up before Monday and commit to funding it??

moniarde:

24 Feb 2012 3:28:49pm

Personally, I think if the leadership hopefuls cared about the public at all, there would be no public discussion about this topic at all from any members of the Labor party until after the ballot. They keep saying we're sick and tiring of hearing about this whole thing, and yet they keep feeding it. Just shut up already. We HAVE had enough.

Muzza:

24 Feb 2012 3:29:29pm

Rudd's dysfunction is finally getting out to those people who haven't been in the know till now. His dictatorial and self-centred approach is what many of the Cabinet have reacted so strongly to. He has considerable form on this issue now. Would be a disaster if he ever gets up. He's good at spin and sales, I'll give him that. But managing people and government - forget it. One hopes that Julia Gillard is confirmed along with the team she is able to work with on an everyday basis in an effective way.

Garry:

Charles NSW:

24 Feb 2012 3:30:34pm

The master against the pupil!No doubt Kevin Rudd has a way with him that people feel very confident, in his abilityHe is very knowledgeable, visionary and is on top of any subject which makes him very popular with votersI feel Julia Gillard did do an excellent job in the circumstances she is inThe question is, would Kevin Rudd be able to handle what she has gone through in this minority governmentI think Kevin may win the support of his party if he promises to get rid of the minority government and call an early electionHe has the public behind him, where the opposition does not have, so he would win an election if called immediatley after the spill

San:

24 Feb 2012 3:31:00pm

I think all the cabinet ministers need a good course in westminister system of governance. I though that system basically is about collective decision making by cabinet headed by the Prime Minister. If that is so how do you interpret the saying by various ministers that Rudd's was a choatic regime. What were they doing for the 2+ years they were part of that team. Dont they have the backbone to question the PM?

I think we need to create a new species under invertabrates which resembles homo sapiens but without a backbone and put the entire lot of Rudd's ministers under that catagory.

Kat:

For someone who professes to be tired of the 'soap opera' Rudd sure likes to carry on and on. Not only that but he calls no less than 4 press conferences. His approach seems like a soap opera to me.

I think Julia should be given credit where credit is due. She may not be a great public speaker and has made many mistakes, but to stand up and achieve so much in the face of such adversity and criticism that no male politician would ever have to put up with (her dress sense, her hair, her marital status, her ear lobes) is a credit to her.

It seems like her decisions (even the bad ones) are based on what she truly believes is the right thing to do. Other pollies like KRudd seem to be in it for whatever they can get.

brian:

24 Feb 2012 5:00:19pm

I agree, Kat, that Gillard is not a great public speaker and has made many mistakes. That is why she should not be prime minister.

It's a bit like defending a tone-deaf musician or a colour-blind painter, rather than suggesting that it's a big world with a lot of things in it, and if your first career choice isn't working out, well...

Wyvern:

24 Feb 2012 3:33:21pm

Definately Kevin. Julia Gillard has major issues with trust in the electorate. It doesn't matter what actually happened, and how chaotic KRudd Government may have been. It's all about public perception, and the perception is that Julia 'stole' the job for which Kevin was elected and despite having zero public persona is a populist, and as such does nothing.

The bottom line is we simply cannot afford to have Mr Abbott (Dr No) as PM, and again Kevin gives us the best shot of avoiding that particular disaster.

Eaumon:

24 Feb 2012 3:34:47pm

Australians voted for Kevin Rudd to be Prime Minister and if he had not performed in the position after three years we should have been given the opportunity to remove him from office. The Australian way is to give "em" a go, not "stab them in the back when they are not looking". Unlike Gillard, Rudd had to contend with a hostile senate during his early months of office, and he still managed to implement policies. In the event Julia wins on Monday and labor loses the next election I don't think Tony will benefit but I am sure the Greens will win a lot more seats.

hairy nosed wombat:

24 Feb 2012 3:35:11pm

This is going absolutely nowhere guys. This is stupid. This is not going to solve anything and this is not going to give you the "clean air" you desire. There will be no clean air whilst ever either Gillard or Rudd are PM - at least not for the next few years.

If the Rudd and Gillard camps both want to be in government in two years time, they should start talking and put up a compromise candidate. And then they need to be heads down, bums up for 16 months. Show us that it is about serving the Australian public and not about a personal pursuit of power.

This is the ONLY way to demonstrate unity and win back public trust. Any win by either Gillard or Rudd next week will be purely pyrrhic.

Onlooker:

24 Feb 2012 3:35:21pm

Yep, it just proves what Julia said yesterday - he's a consummate campaigner. That doesn't make him a good 'PM as national manager'. ANd he's every bit as good at dishing the dirt as those he accuses.l I hope that his media adviser will give all the help he can to Julia after next Monday to kill off the Abbott campaign. The script is fantastic - it just requires the kind of execution that Rudd didn't manage to deliver. I still haven't forgiven him for walking away from the greatest moral issue of our times and now it's all Julia's fault that he did. Wow!

baynsley:

24 Feb 2012 3:36:11pm

which country is Mr Rudd living in when he thinks the people elect the prime minister. "The Prime Minister is the leader of the government and is chosen by members of the government." I refer Mr Rudd to http://www.peo.gov.au/faq/faq_19.html for more information.

jjw63:

24 Feb 2012 3:36:30pm

He was right about one thing the governments problems arent all because he has been leaking some of it has been of their own making indeed, in fact a lot of it. He never said he'd go to the back bench as a Labour Member did he? Recall the words as a Member for my local community. Could it get to the point that its so self destructive he resigns as a Labor Member and says he will be an indepent forcing an election! Its within his power and after the unbelieveble things said on both sides in the last week it would not be that more bizaare an outcome. I actually dont vote Labor but am sad to see such a great institution in what can only look like its death throes. Its been a leveller in Australian Politics and history. Its very sad.

david the great:

24 Feb 2012 3:37:20pm

All this ugly incident has done is diminish the roles of PM & FM in the eyes of the voting public. It has also relegated the current Labor Party to a footnote in our political history........here's hoping!

rumpole1:

24 Feb 2012 3:38:42pm

I think that both Gillard and Rudd have been terminally damaged by their own actions , Rudd as Prime Minister and Gillard in becoming Prime Minister, and that the interests of the Labor Party and the country lie in someone else than either of them being leader of the Labor Party and PM until the next election.

My choices would be either Smith as he hasn't stuffed anything up, or Swan "the world's greatest Treasurer" both of whom carry some weight overseas as well as here.

Howard:

24 Feb 2012 3:39:21pm

Two interesting things:- the Abbot strangely is as silent as monks in a monastery in mourning - it is dumbfounding that he can be though not surprising that he is- there is always scope for Kevin Rudd to go the way of Gareth Evans - away, overseas, where he may even be respected instead of in Australia where respect is not going to be so forthcoming, whatever the outcome.This Caucus meeting is on Sunday or Monday, right? After that can they just get on with governing the country.I'll be back in Australia then after some time overseas. Actually I have always been a little bit proud that Julia Gillard had become prime minister, with interesting accent and the first 'First Bloke' in history. It always seemed progressive (compared with the usual aging podgy middle-aged blokes with receding hairlines and glasses who usually get the job) progressive like in Queensland and in New Zealand. There is minority government with a hung parliament, fractious independents and Greens on single issues or types of issues, fractious opposition leader and divisive former prime minister who, well, could do better overseas. It is surprising that anything could have been achieved at all in the present parliament, and I am all for something getting done. So, can they hurry up and be done with it so that we - not just them - can all progress away from this week's miserable little episode in my country's political history.

jjw63:

24 Feb 2012 3:54:40pm

Hi Howard,Noone, including Abbott, can get on tv to say anything at the moment as two people keep calling press conferences to have the slag off of the Century. Its all becoming very Kath and Kim or school yard like I cant decide!! But admit it has all become he said she said.

Rodman:

24 Feb 2012 3:39:45pm

Way to go Kevin! ... Gillard's a lame duck... 30% support in 12 months... no surprise that she's orchestrating this disgraceful and unprecedented public character assassination of Kevin Rudd by her senior ministers...

As PM she is showing no disregard for the Labor brand by allowing it to be trashed in a desperate attempt to hold on to illegitimate power - she needs to read the writing on the wall and step aside, another Ruddslide is building, its what the people want, nothing she can do about it!!!

Donny:

24 Feb 2012 4:27:56pm

Far too many inaccurate assertions here take any real notice. The media really has a great deal to answer for in their hopelessly biased reporting and free kicks to Abbott and co. Try analyzing the facts rather than the appearances sometime.

Kylie:

Al:

24 Feb 2012 3:41:08pm

I just love Kevin Rudd. he is by far the most popular PM I have ever known. It's this simple. Abbott will beat Julia Gillard hands down because Julia didn't earn her seat as PM. Kevin did. Kevin is the Messiah. Kevin will win the next election for Labor. Is Labor going to put their own personal differences before the success of the party? YES and they will lose the election for it... Rudd will walk out laughing either way...

Tim:

24 Feb 2012 3:43:01pm

This is exactly the kind of inaccurate reporting that leads to a mis-informed public. In the "Live:Rudd's in the race" on http://www.abc.net.au/news/, it is reported that "He (Rudd) says if his challenge fails, he will return to the backbench and not seek the leadership again." While the first part is accurate, the second is remarkably inaccurate. He did not rule out the possibility of seeking the leadership again, he simply stated that he would not challenge Julia Gillard again. Those differences are worlds apart. Please be more accurate in future these are important times for all Australians.

Karen from Qld:

24 Feb 2012 3:43:04pm

What was interesting was what was left unsaid. At no stage die he say he would give Gillard or her cabinet his loyalty if he lost. He is no longer a Cabinet member so no need for any "stealth attacks" but there will be no effort spared to bring Gillard down. Those that had the unfortunate experience to work with him during his time in the Goss Govt. know only too well that Kevin neither fogives nor forgets those that cross him. Hell hath no fury like Kevin Rudd scorned. Let the games begin.

alistair:

24 Feb 2012 3:43:34pm

Scenario.......... 10:30AM Monday, result Kevin 32, Julia 71. Kevin moves gracefully to the backbench. August 2012, surprise! KR is retiring, citing family reasons - by-election in Griffith, which Liberals win with a swing of 9%. Now it gets interesting..........

Tim:

24 Feb 2012 5:05:55pm

Interesting thought. It is also interesting that in a poll done some time ago (after the June 2010 saga) that Malcolm Turnbull was, by Labor voters, the preferred Labor leader over both Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd ... something for the Coalition might want to think about ... or, for that matter, the Labor Party. I don't think that Bill Shorten or Steven Smith could muster that kind of rating.

sophistor:

Dave B:

24 Feb 2012 3:49:10pm

Like him, or not, we did elect him. We never elected Juliar, she just conned two turn coats into making her a monirity PM.So go for it Kevin, but if you lose, please sit on the cross benches, that way Juliar loses to....

brian dempsey:

24 Feb 2012 3:49:40pm

Oakshott and Windsor are responsible for allowing this to continue! They could have stopped this a long time ago by withdrawing their support for the Government. they still can! They are sacrificing the welfare of Australians for their own selfish endeavors. They could have freed us from the union's faceless men and this childishness.

B.Corcoran:

24 Feb 2012 3:50:16pm

I am a libaral voter BUT I belive that if someone is voted in that they have the right to goven.Kevin Rudd will be harder to beat at the next election but he has the right to the postion.Gillard can not be trusted ,and we are not some third world country who have a coup because some silly women wants a job.Get rid of her and lets get back to the Australian way of political voting.

Maranatha:

24 Feb 2012 3:50:23pm

I hope Rudd wins Monday's Labor Party leadership ballot. Gillard is power hungry and would do anything to stay in power - stab Rudd in the back, lie to the people about the carbon tax and pokies reform, appoint Peter Slipper to be the Speaker of Parliament

realist:

24 Feb 2012 3:51:06pm

I would like to see K Rudd win, however that seems unlikely, the great thing about Gillard remaining is that she has much less chance of getting the people onside to reelect the ALP. She will lead them farther down in the polls. K Rudd is their best chance of winning an election, if the Gillard backers in caucus cannot see that they deserve to lose.

Levo:

24 Feb 2012 3:55:21pm

Rudd wasn't elected by "the Australian people" - he was elected by his parliamentary colleagues, and served as PM at their pleasure. He was also removed by his parliamentary colleagues for a raft of reasons. It's a shame that he didn't contest the 2010 ballot so that everyone could see just how unpopular he was with his own colleagues.

You didn't need to be an insider to understand why he was removed, but clearly, the bulk of the Australian voting population isn't particularly bright and/or perceptive.

I hope that he gets done like an effin' dinner come Monday, because he's had more than a fair suck of the sauce bottle. Grubby, self-important, self-involved toad. Off you go!

Paul:

24 Feb 2012 3:58:06pm

Well, at least we now know that Kevin Sauron Rudd was responsible for everything from AIDS to earthquakes, and that Julia Galadrial Gillard represents truth and justice and is a person who was again just young and naive when she was an active member of Kevin's (Sauron's) kitchen cabinet (assuming we ignore selective memory syndrome and inabiliity to give direct answers to questions). Two questions: When does the movie come out, and will the role of Gollum go to Wayen Swan or Simon Crean?

GRAHAM:

24 Feb 2012 4:00:07pm

John howard losing the election looks like the worst mistake the Australian public made ,This the worst Government I have ever seen Kevin or Julia ,Labour has and is destroying this country and it will take a decade to get it right again

Andy1:

24 Feb 2012 4:01:23pm

It's a Labor government controlled by caucus and regardless of who leads it, it will deliver bad policy, worse implementation, the politics of envy, it will squash enterprise, it will fail to celebrate success and it will encourage mediocrity dressed up as fairness. Rudd, Gillard who cares? Rudd said, on resigning from teh post of Foreign Minister, that it was the only honourable thing to do. Should he win on Monday bu some freakish shift of internal sentiment, the only honourable thing to do will be to call an election. After all, Gillard did that after the previous "coup" and Rudd is trying to fabricate some kind of moral high ground. Of course, even if he does win, if the independents withdraw support, we will have an election anyway becayse Abbott will know he won't have to endure minority leadership. The lack of political judgement in bringing this on, at this time, in these circumstances, should make Rudd unelectable...and he was in charge of our foreign affairs strategy!

David:

24 Feb 2012 4:07:05pm

Go K.Rudd. You are one passionate australian who never backed down from taking a bold decision for good ness of our nation. We public know you are a victim of concerted effort by mining companies (coup on K.Rudd happened when mining super profit tax was introduced for debate, This tax was inroduced by k.rudd to help our two speed economy. so that mining giants slow down and other parts of Australian economy gets benefit out of it), power brokers who worked with them and a dodgy leader who cannot be trusted with your wallet.

radhe:

24 Feb 2012 4:07:42pm

It has been torrid time for Labour Party. Julia is trying desperate and her ministers are as well to stop Kevin Rudd brigrade. It is about time MPs listeen to voters , over 80% of people want Kevin Rudd to be installed as PM. Otherwise Labour Party is doomed.

Paul:

24 Feb 2012 4:07:48pm

I'm a swinging voter and I would not vote Labor with Julia. The claims that she is a "doer" overlooks that there are major issues with the implementation of the Mining Tax, Carbon Tax and Health Reform. It is no good "doing things" if in doing is not done right. There is no trust in anything JG says - I think Kevin as a second go is a much better option. I'd vote Labor with Kevin Vs Tony - but Kevin Vs M Turnbull would be a harder choice...

Adrian Keefe:

24 Feb 2012 4:08:46pm

Janelle Saffin, MP for Page, is absolutely right. Rudd is as open as the tomato tray at Woolies. What you see, blemishes and all, is what you get. It is the coterie of sucker fish who have made this fiasco for our government. They cannot exist without their sycophantic crap spoiling the waters. From the Middle East Australia looks like any other dithering nation because of the Creans and Shortens and ...what's his name..the Treasurer..the bloated bottle fish of the Labor Party...biting away at our national image. Swan... yes, I knew I had my images distorted by the murky waters of discontent.

John:

24 Feb 2012 4:12:45pm

Maybe if Rudd gets back the PM mantle in his new and improved model he will finally honour his promise of 2007 to fix the inequitous problem of indexation of ex-service pensions. When he became PM in 2008 he reneged on this commitment and tossed ex-service pensioners on the Centrelink scrap heap. If he wants the public's support, he will have to work damned hard to gain the support of the ex-service pensioners around the country!

peter from perth hills:

24 Feb 2012 4:13:45pm

The interesting thing is that Mr Rudd and his supporters may not have the numbers for Mr Rudd to be Prime Minister. But they do have the numbers to cross the floor and bring down the government. No wonder Ms Gillard and her supporters, with all the fighting words, seem to have avoided doing anything too heavy-handed. Until Mr Rudd and co are angry enough to vote with their feet, it's just a phony war, really.

Donny:

24 Feb 2012 4:15:30pm

I get tired of the inaccurate folklore about waste under Gillard! Go back to school and learn something about economics. Rudd is a self serving egotist who seems determined to deliver government to the dim-witted rabble that call themselves the opposition.

WarrenFitzroy:

24 Feb 2012 4:17:41pm

Julia was a failed experiment, uninspiring, no vision, proven lack of credibility. The public don't believe what she has to say any more. She's always stuck to the script like a great lawyer. But being a good lawyer doesn't mean she's got the qualities required of a good PM. The public were obviously unimpressed by the "Scripted" Julia in the run up to the last election when she was forced to release the "Real" Julia! Well the public remains unimpressed with the "Real" Julia, just look at the polls. Labor cannot win with her as leader of a version of the party stuck in the 1960's. Reform is essential, old union thuggery is on-the-nose with the public these days. Wake up Labor!

savage:

24 Feb 2012 4:22:07pm

The self agrandising idea that krudd was elected prime minister by the australian people is ridiculous. Unless it escaped my attention we are yet to move to the election of individual presidential candidates. Krudd can try to spin it any which way but ultimately he's a sulk who has fuelled this charade for his own personal interest rather than that of the government Seems par for the course for someone who despite his self spun narrative of popularity was unwilling in 2010 to go to a leadership vote opting instead to undermine an election campaign to prove to himself he alone could deliiver labor government. In spite of the campaign of leaks and whispers gillard has delivered labor to government - minority status or not labor is in government thanks to the skills and negotiating ability of julia gillard

Ros Hardcastle:

24 Feb 2012 4:22:54pm

Rudd is the most capable and admired Labour leader who galvanised the australian people and won a landslide victory. How dare these factions remove him because they could not work with him! They need to work with their boss. Julia Gillard is a liar and a cheat who cannot be trusted. How did she and her supporter think they will get public support stabbing Kevin Rudd from the back expect to be liked by the people. She has lost any respect for the way she hurt the labour party and Kevin Rudd.I do hope Kevin will be re instated or Labour party would become extinct.

Peter Patton:

24 Feb 2012 4:29:41pm

Can we just get over a few myths here:

1. Jullia Gillard does not have any "lefty background". She is a solicitor, who was raised in middle class Adelaide

2. Kevin Rudd was a diplomat, whose family is now way beyond any mere top 1%er. They are one of the richest families in Australia. The hide of Rudd's multi-millionaire neoliberalist wife to hold a press conference imploring "ordinary people" to put her back in The Lodge is a sure sign symptom of the psychosis not just in Rudd, but the whole party.

How Rudd was able to get away with his - quite likely - ghostwritten denunciation of 'Neoliberalism', when his own top 1% power and privilege is based on government privitization, deregulation, and neoliberalism. If Kevvie loses, looks like he'll have to get by like other rentiers from the droppings of once publicly-owned businesses.

3. Then there's the Education minister mewling for the plebs in public schools, while he himself went to a posh Christian private school, and sent his own children to the most elite private boarding school in Australia.

4. And for dessert? A former Health minister and current Attorney General, who thinks she is president of the Country Women's Association circa 1940.

matthew:

Walter:

24 Feb 2012 4:36:26pm

Sorry Steve

Which planet are you on? The hypothetical Nirvana where we can keep digging stuff up and not paying properly for it?Sustainable? With a thin veneer atmosphere?What effective alternative(s) do you propose?

Part of the conservative camp seems to run off "God Will Provide". Much of scripture encourages thinking for one's self (as the Python team taught us) - and being caretakers of this finite planet that we are privileged to life on!We have been experiencing La Nina conditions for the last couple of years. This "masking" of the long-term global picture to the Australian electorate is very worrying.

Gypsy:

24 Feb 2012 4:39:15pm

I get really tired of people pontificating about the "Westminster System" and how we vote. Blah, Blah, Blah. The simple fact is, during an election cycle the leader of the party at the time is the FACE of the party. The party put up the most palatable 'face' and give them nice little nicknames like "Kevin07". So, while technically you vote for a local member and the party with the most seats govern, you are naive in the extreme if you do not think that people are voting for the 'FACE' of the party - ie Kevin07. He was not perfect, I - like most - came to see him in a different light after I voted (for him), but I believe he earned the right to face the voters at the next election. He was the one, after all, that brought Labor to government. It is important to note that he wasn't pulled from leadership because of policy but because of polls - a bloody popularity contest. It is dishonest to state that it was anything more than that.

GCBJ:

Gypsy:

24 Feb 2012 4:53:16pm

I'm a Labor-voting, gay female and this lot make me think "how bad can Abbott be". And while I obviously wouldn't consider myself religious or narrow-minded, I do hesitate somewhat putting my total faith in an anti-gay marriage atheist who isn't always honest and considers socialistic parties with communistic tendencies to be a the type of organisations where would can 'cut their teeth' doing "administrative" work... hmm... She is a walking contradiction. And honestly I find myself thinking if the Labor party is not going to be the mechanism for social change I will vote for the ones that do have years of government leadership in their past.

DT:

24 Feb 2012 4:54:04pm

It's a sad day for the Labor Party. It's between a rock and a hard (really hard) place. Rudd - popular with the electorate who don't have any idea of his true colours. Please, lets not have a repeat of his dysfunctional style. Gillard - unpopular with the electorate for her poorly communicated reforms which never-the-less are vital for the future of all Australians but supported by the majority of caucus (it seems). I think Gillard will win only because no-one else is willing to risk their future by leading Labor to a loss against a total tool like Abbott.What a shemozzle! I don't think there will be any winners from this, the voters included.

LES BECK :

24 Feb 2012 4:54:21pm

what a disgrace our politicians on both side of politics are displaying, this is a time of great challengers both f0r Australia and the world in economics, changes in world power and climate change.Australia needs strong leadership with a clear vision for the future of our country and our place in the world, the basis of our economy is changing and although overall our economy is strong we can not afford to sacrifice those sections of our industry that are fighting to compete on a world market that has lower cost structure. Nor can we neglect our basic belief in social justice, a public health system, education; housing etc.. The wealth created by our mining boom needs to be shared and spent wisely to ensure our future and provide us with the resources and skills we will need to maintain the quality of life we have been enjoying.The future of our world and for our children must be addressed and action taken domestically and internationally this will effect the way in which we live and earn our living both as individuals and nationally.I challenge our politicians to become statesmen, if in power take the tough decisions, if in opposition to evaluate policies on there merit, you have an opportunity to lead our great nation through the 21.s century and be an example to others where the nations interests come before personal and party interests and egos.

VonBB:

24 Feb 2012 5:03:26pm

We all knew KR could not stay away for the lure of being PM. I remember the stumbling Rudd government not seeming to get anything right, CPRS, MRRT, Health reform. I take my hat off to JG, she has worked hard under trying conditions, she formed the minority Govt not TA or KR. Anyway, disorder is death!!! The birds are saying Rudd thinks he is within 20 votes of winning so he is going for it. I see a third compromise team of S Smith and B Shorten to clear the air and let the backbenchers breath easier. Once this happens the LNP will get nervious and choose MT and win the next election. BEWARE the Ides of March!!!! On Queensland, CN to win easily and then he steps down some time within the next 18 months handing Govt to Nicols to run for the Senate just like dear old ma and pa. I will put away the tarot cards now.